


Starting Over

by imastrangeone98



Category: Biohazard | Resident Evil (Gameverse)
Genre: Canon-Typical Violence, F/M, Mostly Canon Compliant, Tumblr archiving, reposting... again
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-07-25
Updated: 2020-09-03
Packaged: 2021-03-05 06:26:52
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 8
Words: 6,484
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25499809
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/imastrangeone98/pseuds/imastrangeone98
Summary: They were supposed to be together forever. Supposed to be.Then they broke up.And now the worst has happened: another goddamn viral outbreak. And then it gets worse... or better: they reunite.
Relationships: Carlos Oliveira/Original Character(s), Carlos Oliveira/Reader
Kudos: 22





	1. Lies

**Author's Note:**

> okay so here's the deal- I realized too late that I wanted everything to be multi chapter so I deleted all of my RE stuff... like an idiot. yes. I know. sue me XD

"...Carlos?"

He looked up from his open stuffed suitcase to see Emma watching him from the doorway. "Hey, babe, what's up?"

She hesitated, picking at her fingernails. "What are you packing for?"

"Oh." He looked at the case. "Duty calls. I'm being asked to Colombia."

"...For work?"

"Yeah... My client has a business meeting there; says he hasn't been feeling safe lately." The lie itched in his throat. He hated lying to her, but UBCS was particular on its discretion. It was way easier to say that he worked as a freelance bodyguard- good thing he had the physique for one.

She looked away. "I... I was hoping we could spend some time together. You've been away for a while, after all." She met his eyes, soft brown orbs full of hope. "I got us a reservation at the ski resort. You always said you wanted to try snowboarding."

He gave her a sad smile. "Babe, you shouldn't have." Wrapping his arms around her, he buried his face in her hair, breathing in her comforting scent. "I'm sorry, _amor._ But I gotta take this job."

What he couldn't tell her was that Umbrella had ordered his team to remove a local family from a biohazard situation. Typical business, but he knew that if he told her, she would worry.

But of course, he'd be lying if he said he didn't find her concern for him endearing.

"...You've been working a lot lately," she murmured, pulling away from his embrace. Her eyes had a suspicious glint to them. "You hardly take breaks."

Carlos sighed and ran a hand through his messy hair, glancing back at his suitcase. He could tell where this conversation was going. "Look, I promise that after this mission, I'll ask for some days off-"

"Mission?"

He froze. _Shit_. "I meant job. Job, not mission. Man, I'm getting everything mixed up today-"

"Ask for time off?" She stared at him. "You're freelance, aren't you? I thought you made your own times."

_Oh no._

Her eyes narrowed. "What's your job, Carlos? Your actual job?"

"Emma-"

" _Carlos._ " Her voice was dangerously calm. "Don't you _dare_ lie to me."

"Fine!" he growled out, slamming the lid of his suitcase shut. "I work for the Umbrella Biohazard Countermeasure Service. UBCS. Okay? You happy now?"

Her hands clenched into fists. "You... work... for Umbrella?"

"You and Umbrella! Seriously! Are all you police officers this paranoid?! What did they do wrong?!"

"You should know _very well_ what they do wrong!"

"No! I don't! They gave me a job! They gave me a home! They pay me money, which I use to buy stuff for you!"

"At the cost of human lives!" Her face was bright red from screaming. "They experiment on people! They hurt people! They transform them into..." Her voice trembled. "Something else. _Monsters._ "

He stared at her. What sort of thoughts filled his girlfriend's imagination? "What are you talking about?"

"Please quit," she begged. "I'm asking you to trust me. _Please._ "

Carlos nearly threw something. Umbrella obviously wasn't behind whatever nightmare she was talking about; they were a fucking pharmaceutical company! They created an organization that helped people! And he was a part of it; he was making something out of his shitty life! Why couldn't she be proud of that?

Emma seemed to sense his inner turmoil, because she reached out to him, brushing his elbow. "자기야... Please. Believe in me."

The air was tense. Too tense.

"You're lying," he said, voice freezing as ice. "I need to leave."

" _I'm_ lying? You lied to me too, Carlos! Do _not_ blame it all on me!"

"Forget it! Okay?! Just forget it!" Angrily snatching up his suitcase, he stormed past her and towards the door, hungry for fresh air.

He needed to leave. He needed to leave _now_.

"So you're running away then?! Fine! Run off to Colombia! And don't even think about coming back here again!" she screamed. He heard something break against the wall.

"Fine! I won't!" he spat back. "Not like I ever want to come back to this shithole! I never liked you anyway! You were nothing but a cheap fuck!"

" **GET OUT!** "

He slammed the door, and practically sprinted down the street. Away from the apartment. Away from the heart wrenching cries that seemed to follow him no matter how fast he walked.

His feet began to slow, until they stopped entirely. He stared at the large crack in the sidewalk.

_"I never liked you anyway!"_

The weight of his words began to sink in. His knees buckled. 

The unbreakable Carlos Oliveira began to break.

" _Dios mío,_ " he sobbed, wrapping his arms around himself in a failed attempt to hold his crumbling heart together. "What have I done?"


	2. Reunion

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> so originally as you may know (idk who reads this, if at all- sue me XD) the second "chapter" was supposed to be titled The Ex. but bc I didn't want to just post the same thing twice I just changed it

[Two Months Later]

Carlos would be lying if he said he wasn't terrified.

Traversing through hordes of certified sci-fi zombies was a cakewalk. Dealing with fear-driven civilians was a no-brainer.

But reuniting with his ex of two months? He may as well strip naked and light himself on fire; he was _that_ scared.

But after overhearing that lady- Jill- and Emma talking on the radio, he knew he had to do something. 

What should he say? What should he do? What if she refused to see him outright?

Okay, maybe the latter was less likely, given the situation, but what happens after they all escape? Would that be the end? Would he truly never see her again?

He didn't want to know the answer, but had a feeling he would face it soon regardless. So with a deep breath, he pushed open the door to Moon's Donuts and entered, rifle raised. Taking care to avoid a fight where he could, he slunk down the hallway toward the storage room.

Once he was looking at the door, he froze, hand resting on the wood. So many emotions raced through his mind- fear, hope, and the unrelenting love that refused to fade, even after his eventful departure.

It was the quiet hiss a few feet away from him that finally gave him the push he needed to enter the room, the door clicking shut behind him.

Emma was impossible to miss. She was hunched on the floor, hair tied up in a ponytail, wrapping gauze around her middle. She didn't even look up before she said, "You didn't have to come."

"I know." To his surprise, his voice was smooth. "I wanted to."

"Why?" Now she turned to look at him, eyes shining like rain-stained glass in the dim fluorescent lighting. It was so intense that he stared at the floor. "You're the one who left."

"I know." Quietly seeing his rifle near the door, he slowly approached her, ignoring his body's desire to pull her close to his chest. "And it was the biggest mistake I ever made."

"Didn't sound like ti to me. Sounded like you were more than happy to leave me here." Her voice was brittle; if he so much as made the wrong step, she'd break. "So- how was Colombia?"

So she was being resistant. About what he expected- but surprisingly, she wasn't outright pushing him away. He needed to play his cards right, or she'd be out of his life forever. "Like shit."

"And here I was under the impression that you would like it there." Wincing, she pressed a hand against her abdomen. "After all, it was away from my shithole apartment, right?"

"Emma-"

" _Don't._ " She turned her back. He silently cursed himself; he was losing her. "You're here to escort me. So escort me."

Now his voice shook. "Emma... Please."

"No." Her face was still turned away from him. "I'm done."

Her words were final. His heart broke at the sound of them, but he bit his tongue, hoping that silence would be enough to block out the sound of his shattering soul. "Alright."

With a groan, she hoisted herself up from her spot- only to collapse back down, holding tightly onto her sides.

He rushed to her. "Are you okay?" he asked, hands carefully brushing over her dressed wounds. "I think you said your ribs were bruised...?"

"I did, too," she groaned. "It hurts worse than I thought."

"I need to check if they're broken." For the first time, he managed to fully meet her gaze. "Can you lie down?"

Their eyes stayed locked on each other for what felt like forever. Carlos noticed that in the light, the corners of her eyes were wet. Flakes of blood and soot were pasted on her cheeks. Her hair was tousled like a rat's nest.

She was still as beautiful as he remembered.

"...Okay." Slowly, she laid down on the floor. Goosebumps lined her skin the second it came in contact with the cold linoleum. He delicately pressed his hands on her stomach, placing gentle pressure on her ribs, searching for any potential breaks in the bone.

"Physically, it feels fine," he finally announced, ~~fighting the urge to trace his fingers on her soft skin~~. "Maybe the brushing just feels worse 'cause you keep putting pressure on it?" Fuck, he wished he paid more attention in Basic Medicine. "I have some cream for that. You want me to put it on?"

"I can do it." Plucking up the jar from his hand, Emma pried it open and began to unwrap the gauze around her belly. "Ow."

"Here," he whispered, covering her hand with his own. He had forgotten how soft she was. "Let me do it."

Their eyes met once more. And this time, he could easily see the tears that welled up.

"Carlos..." she croaked.

"Hush," he cooed, taking over task of delicately unwrapping the gauze. " _Está bien. Te tengo._ "

"But-"

"Let me do this for you." Brushing the damp hair off her forehead, he finally managed to get the bandages off-

And he fought the urge to wince.

Her entire abdomen was stained with blue and purple, like bad wine. Even the faintest brush of his fingertips over it sent her reeling, despite the fact that he was applying the cream at a steady pace.

"Just give it a few moments," he reassured her, giving his handiwork one more check before deciding it was enough for him to rewrap it. "You'll feel better in no time."

"I hope so," she replied weakly. She laid a hand on her freshly wrapped side, before- to his surprise- leaning into him. "So... tired..."

He couldn't blame her. No doubt she'd been up fending off hoards of the undead, along with avoiding the huge monster that seemed determined on ripping her and Jill apart.

Something itched in his head. A thought he couldn't quite understand.

_"It's after STARS members."_

_"Tyrants at Arklay..."_

_"They turn them into... something else. **Monsters.** "_

What could it be?

The radio on his hip crackled. " _Carlos, it's Jill. I've restored power to the subway._ "

Emma's eyes fluttered open slightly. "Jill...?"

"Good job," he responded, quietly shushing her back to slumber with a few strokes of her hair. "Next up is the traffic control system. It should be in the subway company's offices."

" _Right. I think I know the building._ "

"Awesome."

" _...Did you find her?_ "

Of course she'd ask that question. "Yeah, she's here. She's sleeping right now."

" _Alright, good. Get her to the subway; I'll take care of systems._ "

He sighed, but replied with a firm "Yes, ma'am," before clippings radio back to his belt and smoothly sweeping Emma up in his arms.

She didn't need to ask him twice.


	3. Separation

As Jill descended the stairway back towards the subway, she couldn't help but study the Umbrella mercenary.

She could see why Emma liked him so much. He wasn't exactly Jill's type, but all things considered, he was nice and helpful, ready to lend a hand to anyone who needed it. Slightly naive, but out of current context, it could easily be forgivable.

He was still the jackass who broke up with her best friend. But still, for all he'd done for them, he deserved an apology.

"Carlos," she called out. "I know we didn't get off to a great start, but... thanks for the save."

"Hey, you saved my ass first," he replied. "You're a hell of a lot braver than me."

"You saved Emma when I couldn't. That means something."

"Yeah, well, it meant something to me too." Under his breath, he whispered, "She means everything to me."

"Did you say something?"

"Nothing," he replied quickly.

She rolled her eyes, but the knowing smile still made it onto her face. "Well, what matters is that we can get everyone out of the city now."

"Yeah," he agreed. "The two of you will be safe."

Well. She didn't exactly enjoy the sound of that. "What about you?"

"From the sound of it," he said, hitting the shutter button, "I won't be catching the train."

"Why not?"

"There'll be new orders." He gave her a determined look. "If it means I can help save the city, that's fine by me."

Jill thought about Emma. She certainly wouldn't be too pleased with that news.

They made their way down to the subway. Mikhail noticed them, but she was busy looking for her old teammate, finally seeing her resting on the seats, a small jacket wadded under her head like a pillow.

She made her way over to her, sitting beside her and adjusting her head so it rested on Jill's lap.

Carlos briefly made an appearance to kneel beside them, carefully running a gloved hand through his former lover's hair.

"Take care of her, Jill," he whispered.

"Tell that to her yourself," she replied. Although she couldn't say she approved, she'd be lying if she said she wasn't rooting for them. Just a bit. "Stay alive out there."

"Yeah." He let out a small chuckle. "Can't die on her and leave her in a cold, cruel, Carlos-less world."

"Seriously?"

"...Yeah, it sounded a lot cooler in my head." And with that, he stood up, nodded to her, and left the train.

Little did she know that she'd be seeing him much sooner than she realized.

[...]

Emma began to stir around the midway point. With a grunt, she pushed herself off of her friend's lap and looked at her.

"What happened?" she asked, her voice hoarse. Jill gave her a bottle of water, which she gulped down. "I just remember passing out here. Carlos..." She froze. "Where is he?"

"He still has a mission, apparently," she answered, concentrating on the conversation between Mikhail and the sleazy Nicholai. "He seems like a tough guy; I wouldn't be too worried about him."

She sighed. "You're right. I just-"

**BOOM!**

The train rattled on its rails. Heat suddenly exploded through the compartment. Sweat beaded Emma's forehead.

And right there, tossing aside a dead civilian like it was nothing, was the tyrant.

Jill growled. "How is this fucker not dead yet?!" She got up and stalked toward it, but the platoon leader grabbed her before she could fling herself in the flames.

"No. They're gone." He pulled her away, nodding at both STARS members. "Go. That way."

Emma ran over to the compartment door, only to find it locked. 'What's going on? Why is it locked?" She only just noticed the pale face watching her. "Please open the door! We're stuck!"

"You are STARS, no?" His chuckle was muffled by the glass. "It's not after me."

"OPEN THE DOOR!" she screamed, pounding on the hot metal.

But he did not. Giving her a small wave and a sinister grin, he disappeared further into his compartment.

Gunshots continued to pop. The smoke began to make her cough. Out of the corner of her eye, she could see Mikhail suddenly get swept up in a tentacle.

Jill, who was just ahead of her, saw something that made her flinch. "Oh, shit...!" She dashed toward her friend. "Get down!"

All Emma heard was "Get off my train, shitbird!"

And Jill threw herself on top of her.

And the world exploded.


	4. Confrontation

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Warning: some slight canon deviancy here. also- badly written fight scene XD

Emma felt like her body had been set on fire. Maybe it was. God, she was in so much pain... Her ribs felt awful, as if they were about to pierce her from the inside.

She just wanted to sleep...

" _-ma!_ "

_So tired..._

"Emma!"

A harsh slap to the face forced her to open her eyes. She sat up with a jolt, wincing at the stabbing pain in her side. "What the hell...?"

"Oh, thank God!"

She was suddenly swept up in a bone crushing hug by Jill, who looked about as bad as she felt. "...What happened?"

She slowly pulled away, giving her a sad look. "The train got blasted off-course. I think... I think we're the only survivors."

Emma suddenly thought of the small group of civilians in the back car. Of the platoon leader, Mikhail.

"They're... they're dead?" she choked out, gripping tightly at Jill's shoulders as her friend pulled her up. "All of them?"

She was given a weak nod. "Yeah. That fucking monster just won't die."

Emma nearly growled. "That's it. Next time I see that thing, I'm blasting its head open."

"You and me both, partner," Jill agreed, and they grasped each others' hands. "But in the meantime, let's get out of here. It isn't safe."

As quickly as they dared, they made their way through the sewers, making occasional stops to try and contact Carlos through the small walkie-talkie.

Carlos.

His face. His deep eyes. His bright smile.

What was he doing now? Emma knew he was on some important job- at least, that was what her friend told her- but she still wondered if he was safe.

_And to think for even a moment that I'd be able to never think about him again..._

**ROAR!**

The two women flinched, glancing behind them at the empty, pitch-black hallways. 

"C'mon," the older one whispered, yanking at her partner's shirt. "Climb!"

She obeyed, scrambling up the rungs of the ladder and hauling her body onto solid ground. Jill emerged right after, only for the two to nearly jump at another howl from below.

"Fucker's still alive," she muttered. "We can't stay here."

So they kept moving, hoping to find some sense of high ground on the bridge. Jill immediately began to try reestablishing contact with Carlos with Emma sat heavily on a bench.

"Carlos? Respond!"

A crackle on the radio, then, " _Yeah, what's up?_ "

She nearly breathed a sigh of relief before replying. "We didn't make it. The train derailed."

Emma listened to them closely, feeling the comfort at hearing his voice.

But it immediately sank when the water beneath them began to bubble. 

She stood up and began pushing at Jill. "We have to go!"

"What do you mean- What the fuck?!"

The bridge groaned and shook with the sudden weight of the monster as it slammed onto the surface. Water sluiced off of its grotesque limbs as it snarled at them, not unlike a rabid beast.

"It's back!" she screamed, tackling the other to the ground when it swiped at them. She yanked Emma up and pulled her along, sprinting as fast as they could.

"Keep running!" Emma called out, pushing her forward before pulling down pieces of metal in the faint hopes it would slow the creature down. Without stopping to see if it worked, she jumped across the sudden gap in the bridge, grabbing Jill's outstretched hand.

They dropped in front of the clock tower, where the monster slammed down in front of them, releasing another bloodcurdling roar. 

"I'm gonna kill you!" Jill shouted at the thing as she prepped her grenade launcher.

Emma snatched up her dual pistols and began firing at the monster's potential weak points, expertly avoiding any swipes from its tentacles. She could hear explosions in the distance as Jill chased after the tyrant, muttering profanities under her breath.

She did her best to keep up. The younger officer used every grenade she managed to store and nearly ran out of bullets with how frequently she was shooting. 

But it was working. Bit by bit, the monster began to slow.

"Jill! It's now or never!"

"Alright." Almost glowing with power, she turned to the growling tyrant. "Let's do this. Suck it!"

Grenades exploded against the monster, over and over. Bits of skin, rubble, and ash flew everywhere. It stumbled, then collapsed, nearly throwing the two women into the air.

Emma groaned, clutching her abdomen. "Hopefully, we don't have to do that again."

"Agreed." Jill sighed, and grabbed the radio. "Carlos? You still there?"

No response. It must have broken during the chaos.

"Oh, come on!" she hissed at the machine. "You're gonna crap out on me _now?_ Goddammit." Briskly moving to the other woman's side, she helped her get an arm around her shoulders. "We should get moving, find someplace safe."

"Sounds like a plan," Emma wheezed with a pained grin.

They passed through the gate, carefully stepping over the dead tyrant's massive claw before continuing down the passageway-

And she was suddenly pulled to the floor. Her skin burned as she was dragged against the stone.

"Emma!" Jill cried. Burning with fury, her eyes locked onto the small chain above the gate. She shot it, and the whole thing came crashing down atop the thing's arm.

Blood oozed from the wound. Emma scooted away from it. Shivers ran down her entire body. "Oh God... Oh God..."

"It's okay," she reassured, helping the smaller one to her feet. "Let's keep moving."

"...Right."

They turned their backs on the wounded thing.

A horrible mistake.

Without either one noticing, it released a sharp spike straight into Emma's arm before collapsing once more.

She yelped at the sudden pain radiating through her, and pulled out the spike. A sense of dread overcame her. Then weakness. Then-


	5. Aftermath

Jill had the pistol aimed at her friend's head.

She knew what she had to do. 

After the Arklay incident, the two had made a promise that if something like it ever occurred again and one of them got infected, the other would shoot them. No guilt, no pain- just the relief that they would not end up becoming one of those monsters.

She would keep her end of the bargain. She had to. She promised.

_"No matter what happens, I'll always have your back," the rookie promised with a sweet smile._

_"You know what? We should go snowboarding," she mused over donuts._

_"There's a hundred things I could do, and I'd still choose being your friend above most of it."_

Tears slipped down her cheeks. The muzzle slowly met the ground. Gently, she adjusted Emma so her head rested on her lap.

"I'm sorry," she choked out. The taste of salt and regret were heavy on her tongue.

She could not keep her promise, after all.

[Half a Day Later...]

Carlos was exhausted.

Ever since the haunting call with Jill, he had absolutely no idea what happened to the two women. Were they injured? Were they-

His feet skittered on the pavement. His hands felt clammy. Air refused to enter his lungs.

On the ground, pale as death... was Emma.

He couldn't lie and say he didn't get tunnel vision. He sprinted to her, rifle clattering to the ground as he scooped her into his arms.

"Emma?" he croaked, lightly shaking her body. " _Amor?_ What happened to you?" He turned to the second woman. Anger blazed in his eyes. "What the fuck happened to her?!"

The sobs continued to wrack her body, but she managed to get out the words "tyrant" and "some kind of infection."

A chill ran down his spine.

Infected. She was infected.

His hands curled into fists. He stared at the cracks in the pavement. ~~Some dark, monstrous part of himself whispered that it should have been Jill who got infected.~~

He forced it down. This wasn't the time for blame. Logically, he knew that it was something beyond either of their control.

...But there was something within his.

"Tyrell, do you copy?" he nearly screamed into the com link.

" _What's goin' on?_ "

"Emma's been infected. I..." Tears threatened to clog his throat; he swallowed. "I'm taking her to the hospital. Maybe Dr. Bard can save her."

" _Alright. I'll meet you there._ "

With that accomplished, he turned to Jill. "I'm gonna carry her, but I'm useless with my gun."

She nodded, a glint of her usual determination shining through once again. "You can count on me."

With a nod, he lifted her into the air. She looked so pale.. so helpless...

"Hang in there, baby," he murmured, pulling her closer to his chest. "Stay with me. Be strong."


	6. Truth

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> welcome back to fan fiction hell XD

Carlos finally stumbled into Dr. Bard's office, tossing aside the tape player and making his way to the back of the room to find the doctor.

With a bullet right through his brain.

"Fuck," he hissed. "Tyrell! Bard's dead; he's been shot!"

" _Shit. And the vaccine?_ "

"I'm looking!"

" _Well, look harder! There's gotta be a computer, right? Come on, your girl's life is on the line!_ "

"Like I need a reminder," he growled, eyes fixed on the one active computer near the storage room. Quickly striding towards it, he pressed a few keys, scanned a few emails, and clicked on what appeared to be a prerecorded message.

_The fuck is this?_

" ** _This is VRC chief Nathaniel Bard; September 29, 11 PM. I am acutely aware that my time's running out. And I hope and pray that by making this recording and bringing the truth to light... I can restore some small shred of honor to my name._** "

He swallowed. This wasn't good.

" _ **All of Raccoon City's suffering began with the release of a biological weapon known as the T-virus.**_ "

His head ached. All of a sudden, he was back in Emma's apartment, hearing her yell about Umbrella and its involvement in creating monsters.

_"They experiment on people! They hurt people! They transform them into... something else."_

" _ **My employer, the Umbrella Corporation, engineered this virus. And they ordered my team to develop a vaccine, which we did. Now, I keep samples of this vaccine here in my office. The rest of it is stored underground.**_ "

_"Are you kidding me? Are you_ fucking _kidding me?! You guys are the ones who caused all of this!"_

" _ **But those sons of bitches on the board... They want to destroy it! They don't want the world to know what they've done, so they're trying to erase all evidence that the virus ever existed! Now I'm not a fool; I know they don't want me to-**_ "

The video cut off. And Carlos sat alone in the darkness, with only a corpse and his sins to keep him company.

...He didn't believe her. He outright refused to hear her. He left her for two _fucking_ months because he was too goddamn stubborn to see her point of view. Because he was too hooked on what Umbrella had sold him to realize that she was offering something better.

Emma had known. She had known all along. Yet she trusted him anyway.

She _held out_ for him anyway.

She _**loved**_ him anyway.

And it _broke_ him.

" _Fuck!_ " he sobbed, punching the computer screen so hard it cracked.

He buried his face in his hands and wept. 

She was hurt because of him. She was _dying_ because of him. Her heart was _broken_ because of him.

He was a monster. No different than Umbrella. A monster _monster m̷o̵n̵s̷t̶e̸r̷-_

_She's dying._

That got his brain thinking straight. She was dying. She needed the vaccine.

The vaccine that was right behind the now unlocked storage room door.

**_Save her._ **

He slammed it open, and the bright purple syringe immediately caught his eye.

_**Save her.** _

He grabbed it and stuffed it into his pack.

_**Save her!** _

"Hold on, baby," he muttered under his breath. "Hang tight. I'm coming."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> this series is coming to an end! you looking forward to it?


	7. Dreams

_When Emma woke up, the room was empty._

Strange. I thought I heard someone talking...

_Carefully extricating herself from the bed, she looked like a hospital room. How did she end up here? All she remembered was the tyrant stabbing her with something, then..._

_The door slammed open, and Carlos walked in. He was beaded with sweat, and dried blood dotted his skin. But when he locked eyes with her, he looked relieved._

_"Emma!" He threw his arms around her, pressing her face into the crook of his neck. "You're okay; oh, thank God."_

_"Carlos?" she asked. "What's going on?"_

_"You... you were sick. Really sick. But that's over now!" He tilted her head with a finger, and gave her a soft smile. "It's all over. The city's safe. We can go home now." Warm lips pressed against her temple. "We can go home."_

_Home. She let out a soft sigh, breathing in his familiar scent. She wanted to believe there was a future for them. Lord, she_ wanted _to._

_She gripped his arms a little tighter, savoring his comforting warmth._

_But then he started coughing. He doubled over, blood leaking onto the floor, and let out the most godawful wheezes._

_"Carlos!" She tried to touch him, to see what was wrong with her former lover, only for him to suddenly push her away. A guttural snarl ripped out of his throat, and it sent the hairs on the back of her neck on edge._

_Infected. He was infected._

_With shaking hands, Emma grabbed her gun and aimed it as his head. She knew she had to do it. There was no way she would ever allow him to feel such pain._

_...But she hesitated._

_"Shoot me, Emma!" he hissed. The smell of iron was so strong now. "It's the only way!"_

_Tears streaked down her cheeks. Her sweet, caring boyfriend was no more._

_...But he was still the same._

_She lowered her gun._

_And he pounced._

"Carlos!"

Her eyes flew open. Her hands reached for the man she would never see again.

Wait a minute... Where was she? All she remembered was the tyrant stabbing her with something, then...

She carefully looked around before noticing her equipment carefully laid out on the countertop. No doubt Jill's handiwork.

As she began to reequip herself, the TV above her continued to crackle.

"Attention, all citizens. The missile strike on Raccoon City will occur in just hours. The payload is designed to eradicate all biological material. You will not survive if you remain in the city. Evacuate now. Repeat: evacuate now."

She rubbed her aching head. How long had she been out? What had she missed?

Opening the door, she saw a tall man rapidly typing away at the computer.

He noticed her, and gave her a quick nod and a grin. "Mornin', sunshine."

She waved. "Tyrell, right? You saved me."

He laughed. "I sure as shit didn't. That was all Carlos. He and Jill brought you here and he treated you himself, crazy bastard."

Nodding, she looked at their surroundings. It was definitely a hospital, and one in severe condition. "They're not here?"

He shook his head. "They both went underground. Apparently, Bard stockpiled the vaccine somewhere- enough to give the city some hope."

Emma let out a small whistle. "Well. Looks like I'll have to go after them."

"Wait, hold up! You see the broadcast? They're gonna blow the city sky-high! I'm trying to get a hold of someone- _anyone-_ with the clearance to stop it!" Tyrell gave her a knowing look. "Leave this mess to them- they're professionals."

She nodded. "Yes. But if this place is anything like the city, they're gonna need all the help they can get."

He sighed, before letting out a small, resigned chuckle. "Well, guess I ain't talkin' you out of this. The storage facility's underground, beneath the hospital. I've lost contact with Carlos, so expect trouble."

"Got it." Before she could walk away, she turned back to the mercenary. "Tyrell? Thank you."

"For what? I didn't do shit."

"Still. You showed up to help. That's more than what others have done." She gave him a tiny, yet genuine smile. "Thanks."

He huffed, rubbing the back of his neck. "It's my job."

She turned away, but his voice called out again.

"Hey, Emma? I know it might not be my place to say, but... I was with Carlos in Colombia."

She was suddenly rooted to the spot. And she slowly shifted to look at him.

"...Yes?"

He looked sheepish. "Don't worry- I didn't get much details from him. But he talked about you a lot. Guy was practically crazy about you. Wouldn't stop crying every night about the breakup- it was kinda annoying." He let out a heavy breath. "Look. It's up to you if you wanna forgive him or not. But... from an outsider's perspective... he still cares about you, y'know?"

Emma's lips were frozen. She didn't quite know what to say to that.

"I don't know," he said quickly, with a convincing shrug. "Just my dumbass opinion."

"Ah." She tapped her foot on the ground, deep in thought. "It seems like I have a lot to talk with him about."

"I imagine."

She smiled. "Well, thank you for your thoughts."

"If only I could get paid for them," Tyrell grumbled with a roll of his eyes. "Now get going. You got a dumbass of an ex to save."

She let out a loud belly laugh. She could see why Carlos would want to spend time with him. "Yes. Yes, I do."


	8. New Life

Emma finally made it to the roof of the hospital, only to freeze at what lay before her.

Carlos and Jill, passed out on the floor. As if they had been beaten.

"No!" Before she could run to them, she was forced to the ground, her pistols tossed aside- far out of reach.

Above her stood the infamous Nicholai, who frowned at her. She glared at him in return.

"You're not going to stop me," he decided with a slight grin. "After all, I promised your friend this, didn't I?"

A small tube of purple liquid was tossed on the floor. It must have been the vaccine they were searching for. But just as she reached for it, it exploded. Bits of glass flew everywhere, and the life-saving liquid stained the ground. Useless.

"...You... son of a..." she growled. "Do you have any idea who you condemned?!"

"Don't know. Don't care. My client simply ordered me to reduce Umbrella to rubble." He leaned towards her, his blue eyes black in the dim light. "And I always complete my mission."

"And your mission involved killing off innocents?" Emma rolled her eyes. "Mercenaries. You're all the same."

"So are cops. Who are you to judge?"

" _Ten minutes until missile impact._ "

He smirked. "The missile has launched. And that is my cue to leave." He gave her a mocking bow; she slowly began to slide towards her guns. ~~Out of the corner of her eye, she thought she saw Jill blink.~~ "Goodbye, Ms. Jung. A shame you and Ms. Valentine didn't listen to me when you had the chance-"

He was suddenly attacked by a roaring Carlos, who began trying to wrestle him into a chokehold. Jill was also up, dealing with the former soldier's front, only for him to violently push her aside.

"Jill!" Emma grabbed her pistols and was about to help them when she heard, "Emma! Shoot him!"

Carlos had the man pinned. They were standing so close together that she knew any bullet she fired would also hit him.

"No! You'll get hurt too!"

"Trust me!" He stared into her eyes. "You have to trust me."

...So she did. With a bitter taste in her mouth, she pulled the trigger.

The bullet went straight through Nicholai's stomach, and the two men went down.

"Carlos!" She dashed to his side and cradled his head in her hands. "자기? Are you hurt?"

He coughed, before smiling up at her. "Look at that. I must've gone to heaven."

She would've teased him for his horrible joke had she not been squeezing the life out of him with hw tightly she hugged him.

"You're alive!" she breathed with relief. "You're okay."

"I'm here, _amor_. I'm here." A soft kiss was pressed to her forehead. "I'm not leaving ever again."

She inhaled his smell. Blood, sweat, and the slightest hint of that cologne from Spain he always liked.

He smelled alive.

"Okay," she murmured, placing her trust in him one more time. "Okay."

As they stood up, Carlos nodded to the helicopter. "Imma get that thing up and running."

She watched Jill as she interrogated the bastard. "I'm gonna wait for her."

"Got it." He quickly jogged to the front of the chopper, throwing himself into the task of flipping switches and checking dials as the engine roared to life.

"Who are you working for?" Jill asked.

Nicholai coughed. "I'll tell you, if you get me out of here. I'll pay you whatever you want."

Emma rolled her eyes. There was no bargaining with these types of people. They were either willing to change, or they weren't.

And he definitely wouldn't.

Jill looked at her. She shook her head, and held out her hand.

_Let's go._

With a scoff towards the mercenary, she took the outstretched hand, and they boarded the helicopter, Nicholai shouting behind them that they were fools, that if he died, they would never find out the truth.

"Well, then," the older officer said. "It's a good thing we don't mind detective work."

And they sat back as they took off, watching the form of the betrayer grow smaller and smaller as they ascended into the skies.

And she didn't feel an ounce of regret.

With a groan, the two slid the door shut. Jill proceeded to sit near the window, eyes open for something- the missile, most likely.

Emma made her way to the cockpit, where Carlos handed her a headphone set.

"So..." he said, glancing at her out of the corner of his eye. "What's next."

"I don't know," she admitted, sitting on the floor next to him and resting her head on his knee. She could feel a warm hand on her hair. "I'm tired."

"Then we sleep," he chuckled. "And then...?"

"Well... Umbrella still needs to be taken care of." She turned back to her partner, who waved at her. She waved back. "As long as they're still out there, incidents like Raccoon will keep happening."

"Then we put an end to it." The hand on her hair moved downward to stroke her cheek. "But you know what? I did a lot of thinking back in Colombia, and I kinda want to start a bakery."

"A bakery, huh?" She giggled. "That sounds kinda nice."

"Yeah. Hella peaceful." His thumb grazed the corner of her lip. "Peace sounds really nice right now."

"Yeah." Tilting her head slightly, she kissed his fingertip. "It does."

They kept flying. Towards an uncertain yet hopeful future.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> its over! finally XD

**Author's Note:**

> *자기야 - darling, sweetheart


End file.
